Brighten My Northern Sky
by 5DancingDorks
Summary: Donatello asks April for a dance.


Donnie hummed along to the tunes of his playlist as he worked diligently to fix the roof of the Shellraiser. His computer and speakers sat on his desk, blaring the same techno album he always listened to when he worked. Kept him motivated.

"Hey Don, I'm going to get some more coffee. Want some?" Donnie pushed his goggles up to look April in the eye. She stood at the foot of the vehicle, wiping her greasy hands on a cloth, smiling up at him. Her white tank top was stained with the oil, and her face was smudged and hair was messy, but Donnie still thought she looked so beautiful.

"O-Oh, yeah! That sounds great. Thanks, April!" He called down to her.

She wiped some of the grease away from her freckled cheek as she headed towards the garage door. "Sugar, right?"

"Right!" he confirmed.

As she left, the turtle couldn't suppress the gap-toothed grin that spread across his face. Something about her being there, working with him, laughing and talking with him… It felt right. Deep down, he knew she didn't feel the same way about him. Perhaps she never would. But he would always savor times like these, where he could just pretend that perhaps they could be, or perhaps they were something more.

He sighed, and brought his goggles back into place over his eyes as he continued to meld the two hunks of scrap metal together. That was such a stupid thought. The others were right: They were simply too different. Even if she felt the same way, there was no way it could ever possibly work. This repeated over and over again in his head, until he felt an ache in his chest and a lump in his throat.

These thoughts suddenly disappeared as he heard someone climbing up the ladder to the top of the old subway car. He turned and saw the redhead standing at the top, two chipped coffee mugs in one hand. She climbed a bit further and sat beside him, handing him the cup of the steaming black drink. He uttered a quick "Thank you," and flashed a grateful smile before taking a few quick sips of the coffee and settling down next to her.

There was a comfortable silence as the two stared into the lab as the techno continued to play. But soon, Donatello found himself staring at her instead. Her bright red hair hung elegantly in a ponytail wrapped around her shoulder, slightly messy, but beautiful still. Her skin was light and freckled, and so young and lovely. The way her hands, thin and dainty but so strong, hugged the warmth of the coffee mug… She looked casual, but he could recognize the look in her eyes. They were wide and icy blue and often sparkling, but they stared into space now, and he couldn't help wondering what she was feeling or thinking. He always wanted to know what was on her mind.

Her eyes brightened suddenly, and he was snapped out of his trance. He was about to ask what was wrong, when he heard the techno gone and replaced with the gentle strumming of a guitar. Not a big deal to him, but perhaps she didn't like it?

"Oh. Must've played through the whole list. I'll go find something else." He set the mug down on the surface beside him and was about to push himself up to change it back, but he was stopped by the delicate hand of the girl he had been admiring for so long.

"No, keep it." She smiled at him. "This is a great song."

He couldn't say no to her, and sat back down. Soon, the vocals began to ring.

"_I never knew magic crazy as this…"_

April chuckled. "When I was little, my Dad would play Nick Drake all the time." She looked back at him. "Still holds a special place in my heart." Donnie nodded, and allowed the song to continue.

"_I never saw moons knew the meaning of the sea…"_

He reached for his mug again, but hesitated. A sweet voice close to him began to sing quietly along.

"_I never held emotion in the palm of my hand, or felt sweet breezes in the top of a tree…"_

He turned. She was singing. Her voice was… enchanting. To be honest, he was shocked. He never expected somebody like April to be a singer.

She was _so cool._

Something overcame him. He had no idea what he was doing, and he knew he was most likely going to regret it, but still he stood up and offered her his oversized hand. She looked up at him, confused, but he beamed. "Would you like to dance with me?"

April's eyes widened. Donnie was the _last _person she expected to ask for a dance. He just didn't seem like the kind to enjoy such things. Which is exactly why this felt like such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and she didn't want to miss it.

She took his hand and allowed him to help her up. He put surprisingly steady hands on her waist, and his expression softened. The redhead felt the heat rising to her cheeks, and she couldn't help but to grin as her hands settled on his shoulders. She'd honestly never been asked to dance before. Even at proms, she was always such a wallflower. And ever since her life had taken such an… interesting turn, she became more distant from the rest of the kids her age, and had become an outcast. She was the "weird girl" at school, and no one dances with weird girls.

Except for, perhaps, a giant, talking mutant turtle trained in the ancient arts of _ninjutsu._

As the song continued to play, the two soon fell into a clumsy but slow and fitting rhythm. A toe was stepped on here or there, and their motions were stiff and awkward, but April found herself resting her head on the scientist's plastron, and his chin rested in her hair. He took in the sweet scents of her peach-scented shampoo, and as she hummed quietly to the song, he felt his eyelids fall closed. It had been a long time since he felt this at ease.

"_Would you love me through the winter, would you love me 'til I'm dead?_

_Oh, if you would, and you could,_

_Come blow your horn on high."_

Slowly but surely, the song came to a close, though the two stayed in this close embrace for a moment longer. And as April finally pushed away, Donatello felt a pang of worry hit, but it instantly faded as the smiling redhead asked, "Mind if I put that on repeat?"

**Author's Note: The song used is "Northern Sky" by Nick Drake. I do not own any of the rights to this song.**


End file.
